Category Archives: Gadgets

Gaming Machine: Part the Second

Posted on 2 March 2012 by Joseph Shoer

This has been fun! I put together my gaming computer and got everything up and running the way I like it over the last week. It’s been a satisfying experience – planning it all out, assembling it, and working out … Continue reading →

Posted in Gadgets | 2 Comments

Gaming Machine: Part the First

Posted on 28 January 2012 by Joseph Shoer

I have decided to build myself a gaming computer. This decision was spurred on by three factors: (1) I want to know what happens in StarCraft 2, and my current computer can’t run it, (2) I want to play Skyrim, … Continue reading →

Posted in Gadgets | 3 Comments

How to Build a Tractor Beam

Posted on 3 February 2011 by Joseph Shoer

Hello, Intertubes! I have been slacking off on the blog in favor of preparing my dissertation and the presentation for my defense. I know, excuses, excuses… To keep all eighteen of my intrepid readers happy, here is a video that … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Gadgets, Graduate school, Research, Science | 2 Comments

REAL Space Legos!

Posted on 11 January 2011 by Joseph Shoer

So, MAKE Magazine has this on their current cover: That’s a Lego Mindstorms NXT computer and other Lego pieces on a spacecraft. “Cool!” my labmate and I thought upon seeing this. “Satellites made out of Legos!” Well, it turns out … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Gadgets, Space | 2 Comments

Inventing New Uses for Dropbox

Posted on 18 December 2010 by Joseph Shoer

After buying my third computer (I have a work desktop in my office, a personal laptop, and a personal tablet), I became a big fan of Dropbox. The service is a paradigm of cloud computing: I get a folder on … Continue reading →

Posted in Gadgets, Graduate school, Research | Leave a comment

I am annoyed at smartphones, because I am about to get one

Posted on 14 November 2010 by Joseph Shoer

Two reasons. One has to do with the carriers. Modern cellular networks are entirely digital. Make a call, and the phone is digitizing your voice and sending bits through a radio network. Send a text, and the phone is sending … Continue reading →

Posted in Gadgets | 2 Comments

Disconnects

Posted on 8 November 2010 by Joseph Shoer

Tonight, a friend of a friend came over to my apartment so we could all make chili together. During this process, we came to a point when we needed to defrost a bunch of ground beef. When I moved to … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Gadgets, People, Science, Skepticism, Social commentary | 2 Comments